


The Tricks of the Tide

by archer_nebulae



Category: Bionicle - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anxiety, Gen, Multi, Mystery, Other, Secrets, Social Anxiety, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-06 21:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14065998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archer_nebulae/pseuds/archer_nebulae
Summary: There are many changes coming in on the tide. The discovery of the city across the water, just visible from the viewpoint in the Mangaia - Makuta's lab. The emergence of the Toa of Light - Takanuva. The growing sense of secrets held among the Turaga.There are many tales still to tell, on the Island of Mata Nui.





	1. Several Engagements

**Author's Note:**

> For a helpful map, I’m using the labeled one at the [Bionicle Wiki](http://bionicle.wikia.com/wiki/Mata_Nui_\(Location\)).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kopaka has a thoughtful day before a meeting at the Amaja Circle, and encounters Pohatu along the way.

On the Island of Mata Nui, the long monsoon season was drying out. Now the sun often peeked from behind clouds, as if embarrassed to have been away so long. Much like the Toa Nuva, who had stayed in their respective Wahi, meeting only during kohlii tournaments or tale-telling occasions between the Koros.

In Ko-Wahi especially, the weather was just as dangerous and unpredictable as an enraged Muaka. Instead of rain and thunder, there were blizzards. Every sight became one of the whorling snow. From experience, Kopaka knew that for all his elemental strength, he could not cease these storms - he’d have to stop the seasons to achieve that. Instead, it was most effective to create a circle of stillness about six meters in diameter.

If he was not checking the slopes for avalanche-risk or wayward travelers, Kopaka escorted many of his matoran through Ko-Wahi. Whether they were collecting roots, or fishing, or crabbing, or clearing off the larger drifts on the one road into Ko-Koro, he was nearby. Sometimes, he would join the group of them, and they would often demonstrate the tasks they were accomplishing.

For example, Kopaka found he was an adept fisher. He’d carried the catch of fish and crab (and sometimes the matoran too) back to Ko-Koro more than once.

Until today. As he walked, Kopaka recalled that today would be the night of dual moons - both the red moon and the green moon would be full (and fully visible) in the sky. A sign of returning spring. Also time for another meeting of the Turaga at the Amaja circle, and for once, all the Toa Nuva were expected to attend.

Kopaka suspected the Turaga had tales - or possibly even prophecies - to share now that the Toa of Light, Takanuva, was discovered. And maybe other things, too.

Though all Ko-Matoran kept excellent track of the cycles of the stars and moons, Nuju especially had been preoccupied with the sky. His attitude made Kopaka think that Nuju had something particular on his mind for this meeting. Whatever it was, neither Nuju nor Matoro were giving it away.

That was okay. Kopaka was patient. _Well, more so than Tahu_ , the Toa of Ice amended.

As he crossed out of the Main Gate, and ascended atop one of the surrounding glaciers, Kopaka relished in the gentle flakes falling from the sky. The crisp breeze across his armour. Even the Toa of Ice enjoyed a break from the storms, and this was perfect skiing weather.

He was about to throw down his ice swords and lock his feet in when --

“Toa Kopaka!” Not loud, but urgent. It was Matoro.

Kopaka turned toward him.

“May I ask where you’re going?” Matoro said. “Kopeke gave me a message to relay to Hahli, but I doubt she’ll be at the Amaja Circle tonight.”

“Nowhere particular,” Kopaka replied, keeping his hope for skiing to himself. Maybe he’d still have time for it along the way. “The message? How urgent?”

“Thank you, Toa Kopaka,” Matoro replied. “Not urgent - anytime before the meeting tonight, if possible. Kopeke says, ‘Kolhii? The next full red moon? Ga-Koro is preferred.’”

With a whir, Kopaka refocused the lens of his Akaku on Matoro. “Should I deliver this message to Kopeke first?” Kopaka asked dryly.

“Already done,” Matoro replied, taking the teasing well. “His suggesting it was unexpected. I think he’s looking forward to mastering the kick and throw angles. Might not be so different from sculpting armour,” Matoro concluded, with a shrug.

“Perhaps. Well, I’ll take the message,” Kopaka replied. Kopaka adjusted his hemp satchel and then clicked his feet onto the handles of his swords - doubling as bindings. This triggered a mechanism that expanded the sword handles, flattening both the extension and the blade into flat short skis. Very maneuverable, but not as good for speed.

With that, Kopaka strode forward - with each step he picked up a little more glide across the snow. In just a few moments, he was gliding more than walking. As Kopaka kept leaning with his hips into his feet across the plane of the glacier, he picked up speed. As soon as he could, Kopaka cut onto the downhill slope.

He wouldn’t have time to hike all the way back up this high for a second long run, in addition to traveling to Ga-Wahi. But he could make this run last. Kopaka smiled.

The smile lingered even through more challenging areas of the mountain. Almost too soon, Kopaka was using his ice powers to create a ramp ahead of himself. He sped off and twisted into two full spins, then landed on the final slope off the mountain. The snow, however, soon became squishy sand under his skis.

As he put his equipment away, a burst of wind blew from along the coast line. It was so strong sand got blown into his face. _No problem_ , Kopaka thought to himself, dusting off. _No problem_.

He would walk along the Ko-Wahi turned Le-Wahi coast for part of the way. Nuparu, an Onu-matoran, was always looking for more sea shells. It was something about more calcium cabonate, whatever that was, for drilling oils and better drill pressure. It was no trouble to Kopaka to keep an eye out every now and then. But one strange thing was a track in the dry sand on Kopaka’s left. As Kopaka focused his Akaku, he saw that the track extended for kios down the coastline. It was almost like --

 _Wewoosh_.

The same strong gust of wind, blown from directly behind him. Then there was a sharp rustling from the coastal trees and then behind Kopaka again --

 _Wuuursh_.

And a strong brown figure skidded to a halt in front of Kopaka, thankfully causing a small sand dune away from the Toa of Ice.

“Kopaka!” Pohatu said, climbing from the deep divot his feet had dug into the sand. Pohatu accepted the hand Kopaka offered in assistance, and then turned it into a hug. Kopaka didn’t mind over much; he was used to this from Pohatu.

“What are you doing in the wet sand on the coastline in Le-Wahi?” Pohatu asked. He was standing in the dryer sand.

“Shells for Nuparu,” Kopaka explained. He then elaborated on delivering Kopeke’s message to Hahli before the Amaja Circle meeting that night. Kopaka gestured at Pohatu with one arm as they walked.

“Just...exercising,” Pohatu said. He added, “testing to see how fast I can go with the Kakama Nuva. Pretty fast! I think I circled the island in about thirty minutes, about the fastest I can go while still maintaining a physical form. I could go a little faster, but I’d be vibrating my atoms to do it just to pass through air, which is a little too much for me,” Pohatu concluded.

“If only everything could go so fast,” Kopaka said.

“What do you mean?”

“How does Onewa seem?” Kopaka asked in reply. Out of the corner of his eye, Kopaka saw Pohatu glance sharply toward him.

“Snarlier than ever is a nice way to put it,” Pohatu said. “I can’t remember the last time he was in a chipper mood. And that’s saying something for a carver living in canyons.”

Kopaka was silent at that. Pohatu’s report confirmed to him again that the Turaga were holding something big in themselves. Had they already decided to share some grand prophecy, or was that to be debated tonight?

“Kopaka.”

The Toa of Ice glanced up at his name.

“Honestly, I was pacing. It feels like I can’t run far enough or fast enough. All the Turaga are tense, last I’ve seen. We,” he gestures between them, indicating all the Nuva, “haven’t seen each other for months. It seems like we’re sitting in a tale that’s about to tip on the turn of a blade.”

 _Pohatu isn’t wrong_ , Kopaka realized. _Our team unity isn’t as bad as the past, but it’s not great either._

Lacking anything useful to say, Kopaka slung his left arm over Pohatu’s stout shoulder.

“Would you prefer to arrive early?” Kopaka offered. The idea wasn’t particularly appealing to Kopaka himself - he’d rather not be interacting with all the Turaga and Toa all at once. They would all be there, and he’d be there, being seen. And having to hold a sensible conversation too - it was all too much. But Pohatu usually enjoyed it.

Pohatu grimaced a little. “Might as well. Sometimes. Sometimes though, you know the feeling that there’s anything else you’d rather do? If our duty to Mata Nui could work, without sniping and secrets? Does that makes sense?”

Kopaka was surprised at the similarity to his own thoughts. He said, “Yes. I know.”

Together, they activated their Kakama Nuvas, and directed their feet through the Le-Wahi jungle. In a matter of minutes, they traversed Ta-Wahi and slowed onto the Ga-Wahi coast. Already the sun was falling toward Mt. Ihu, the remnants bouncing off a fog bank lingering in Naho Bay. Everything was quiet, even the river slipping from the estuary into the sea. Kopaka glanced at Pohatu; he was smiling.

“We made it,” Pohatu said. He glanced at Kopaka and their eyes caught. “I suppose this mission has been without sea-prise.”

Kopaka rolled his eyes, but obliged. “Yes. It was most sandisfactoy.”

Pohatu snickered, then started skipping stones into the bay. They approached Ga-Koro slowly so as not to disturb the matoran who worked or relaxed on the dunes all around the inside of the bay.

“Eleven?” Kopaka said absently.

“No, thirteen,” Pohatu replied. “The ocean waves too much for you? And how many shells do you have now?”

“No worse than for you. Twenty-nine, now.” Kopaka added the newest one to his satchel.

Pohatu chuckled. “Nuparu’s gonna be happy as Lewa in a windstorm.”

He paused, and flung another stone. Kopaka estimated ten skips, but then --

 _CLUNK_.

Both Toa paused, looking right toward the bay. It had sounded like the stone hit metal. There was no sign of any obstacles in the water, but the fog was much, much closer. Not more than three meters off, Kopaka observed. How had he not noticed it’d gotten so close?

“Anybody there?” Pohatu asked.

The waves still rushed onto shore.

The waited a moment, but there was no response. Pohatu glanced toward Kopaka, who was staring into the bay, his Akaku glowing slightly.

Meanwhile, Pohatu activated his Kakama and rotated his arms rapidly, creating two mini-vortexes directed at the fog bank. Even after a minute of this, though, the fog remained undisturbed. It should have at least swirled a little because of the wind pressure.

Unnerved, Pohatu let his arms rest and turned to Kopaka. But as he did so, he saw movement from the corner of his eye - the fog was sweeping forward like a wave.

“Kopaka--” But Kopaka was already in action. His ice sword was out and, channeling his element, raised a thick icy wall from the ocean, between themselves and the fog.

The fog was still coming.

Pohatu instinctively followed Kopaka’s example, raising stone barriers along their sides, where the fog was creeping in. Meanwhile, Kopaka extended the sea-side wall, making it arch over them, closing them in a bubble of ice above and on two sides, with stone on the other two.

Through the ice, they could see that the fog was on all sides of them, thick, but also swirling, as if testing at the boundaries of their bubble of stone and ice.

Pohatu shivered in the now damp chill. He and Kopaka were back to back, and he couldn’t quite bring himself to turn away from the transparent walls. “What did you see?” Pohatu asked. Surely Kopaka had seen something with his Akaku in the fog - why else create elemental barriers to what was a normal part of island life?

“Nothing.”

“...what?” Pohatu half-turned, glimpsing the side of Kopaka’s mask. He was frowning.

“The Akaku Nuva saw only white; it didn’t register any distinct life forms in the bay, though there are many wild rahi there. Or sediment layers in the sand underneath the fog. Not even any sign of heart-light signatures from Ga-Koro further along the bay.”

“It didn’t work.”

“Yes.”

They were both silent for a few moments.

“Stating the obvious,” Pohatu said, “but normal fog doesn’t suddenly swoosh forward. Or act impenetrable to the Akaku. Could it be manipulated by a rahi somehow?”

“Or an illusion,” Kopaka added. “Hiding whatever your stone collided with.”

Pohatu drew his twin climbing claws. “Well, let’s throw a couple more.”

Kopaka drew his shield, then lowered the ice wall furthest from the ocean. Pohatu levitated several handfuls of the pebbles coating the sand and flung them through the opening in a fan shape. There was no pattering sound of the stones landing, let alone any contact with metal.

Pohatu stepped out, prepared to activate the Mask of Shielding over both of them. Kopaka followed him. The fog swirled over their armor and dripped off their weapons, but there were no other figures in the dense white cloud.

He levitated another volley of stones, this time directed all around them.

Again, nothing.

“I feel rather disappointed,” Pohatu commented. He paced a circle around Kopaka; it felt like there was electricity inside him, with no where to go. If he stopped moving, stopped pacing, it was too much. Kopaka had activated the Akaku again, scanning. There was nothing. They would have to rely on memory to walk out of the fog.

Kopaka made a careful turn, so that he should have been facing the ocean. He walked toward it, feeling for the damp sand, listening for the waves… there was nothing. Kopaka frowned. _I should be walking in water by now. What is going on?_

It was then that Kopaka realized Pohatu was not next to him. He spun in a circle, Akaku whirring, but to no effect.

“Pohatu?” There was a spike of fire in his chest that he couldn’t quench.

But then the Toa of Stone appeared from Kopaka’s left side - a comforting brown that sharpened into Pohatu’s mask. The ridges on it were like collapsing mountains.

“Don’t disappear again,” Kopaka said sharply.

“Speak for yourself, too,” Pohatu retorted. “I know you work alone, but what if once we're out of sight of each other, we can’t find each other again?”

“Like right now?” Kopaka said, unable to stop himself from continuing.

Pohatu huffed. Then he spoke with a very even tone, and stopped himself from tapping his foot.

“You said the Akaku Nuva can’t see through the fog. That’s not normal, so this fog isn’t normal, so let’s not get separated. Neither of us should step away without warning the other, even for walking the rest of the way around the bay.”

“Fine. As for the bay, it’s gone too.”

Pohatu understood immediately. “We’re where you thought the water is. And the sand is dry.” So saying, Pohatu crouched and dug his hands in. He closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the random stones and crumbs of earth, sweeping out and out, until over there he felt a different sort of ground - earth and clay. _Then over here must be… yes! The earth is heavier, less malleable, full of water_.

“The bay is way over there,” Pohatu said, pointing with one arm. He opened his eyes and stood. “The ground is different - mushier. But way further away then it should be - at least three kios.”

 _WOOSH, VWOOSH_.

Suddenly, the fog grew denser in front of them, and before their eyes became a many armed silhouette, still shrouded in vapor. It seemed to move toward them. Pohatu leapt to one side, simultaneously reaching and pulling up a stone wall, which he then kicked toward the creature.

But the wall only impacted one of the… legs? The shadow was like a Fikou spider, but one far larger than knee-high. Pohatu had no more time to think; something was spinning toward him through the coalescing fog --

It connected. The impact threw Pohatu backwards and he rammed into -- something. And --

And then Pohatu woke with an earthquake pounding in his head. He groaned. With an arm underneath his chest, he levered himself off the ground, and then rolled onto his back. There was a lingering ache in his chest, from whatever the projectile was.

 _Have I gone blind?_ He wondered blearily. Everything around him was black. Even traveling underground, on the offshoots of the Onu-Koro Highway, had never been like this.

There were two things to do, and Pohatu latched onto these ideas. Figure out where he was, and hopefully find Kopaka nearby. Pohatu reached into the stone underneath him, feeling for the minute vibrations that might indicate if another person - or that creature - was nearby.

There were a few vibrations on his right - disjointed. Someone stumbling? He could almost hear them, a faint scuffle. There was something strange about that, but Pohatu couldn’t place it yet.

“Kopaka?” Pohatu asked. He sat up, then stood unsteadily. He drew one of his climbing claws; it felt good to hold something. But since he couldn’t see, Pohatu wasn’t confident in his chances at fighting anything. He took a few steps toward the scuffling feeling, and promptly bumped into something.

“Kopaka?”

“Pohatu!”

“Thank Mata Nui,” Pohatu said, gripping what must be Kopaka’s shoulder. He estimated the location of Kopaka’s mask.

“I hoped the vibrations were you. Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I was. You said nothing until now.”

“Then I hadn’t heard you until we knocked masks,” Pohatu replied, surprised. “Wait, couldn’t you see me?”

“No. When the creature hit you, you fell on me. We slammed into something. After that I was knocked out, because I woke up unable to see anything but shadows.”

“Same, though I still feel the stone beneath us, and vibrations in it.” Pohatu gripped Kopaka’s shoulder tighter in realization. “We’re surrounded by stone, when there should be sand. Kopaka, the creature moved us somewhere. Again,” Pohatu amended, recalling how Naho Bay had somehow moved kios away.

“Could you navigate us to the nearest Koro?”

Kopaka's voice was pitched higher than normal; Pohatu knew the Toa of Ice was very startled.

“I don’t think so,” Pohatu said, grim. “The stone is very… anyway, it’s some kind of igneous structure, probably basalt since that’s common surface rock. We’d need to actually see it to confirm,” Pohatu adds, forestalling Kopaka’s question. “We’re either in the foothills on _any_ side of Mt. Ihu, or anywhere in Po-Wahi. Or even Ta-Wahi, but there’s no sulfuric or ashy smell, so we can rule that out.”

Kopaka was silent.

Pohatu sighed. “We'll try, but I have no idea which direction to choose. Even walking is going to be difficult. I can feel that we’re walking on stone, where formations are, where _pebbles_ are, but that won’t let us react fast enough to defend ourselves. And it won’t tell us we’re going the wrong way until we hit the coast again.”

“Yes. Quiet a minute,” Kopaka said. Then Pohatu noticed it - the only other sound was their own breathing, the occasional clink of their armor.

“We should hear the wind at least,” Kopaka murmured.

Pohatu nodded, then remembered to acknowledge aloud. “Maybe we’re in some kind of shadow realm?” Pohatu added. Then a horrible thought: “Can anyone even see us?”

Kopaka was silent, and shifted next to him. Pohatu reached for his element and drew an oblong chunk of stone from the ground. It was as good a seat as any. He pulled on Kopaka’s arm, tugging the Toa of Ice easily along. This unnerved Pohatu; it was unlike Kopaka to accept maneuvering by others.

 _He can’t feel the stone like me, so there’s only the ground right under his feet, and my arm through his,_ Pohatu realized. On instinct, Pohatu traced his hand down Kopaka’s arm and, finding his hand, grasped it.

Kopaka didn’t react at first - Pohatu had an anxious moment - if Kopaka tried to walk off in a huff it would be a disaster. But then Kopaka slowly clenched Pohatu’s hand tighter in return.

They sat like that for several minutes, and then Pohatu had a thought. "Well, we won't have to worry about talking with everyone now, will we?"

 


	2. Methods of Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four Toa Nuva meet at the Amaja Circle. Four plus Takanuva leave it.
> 
> Kopaka and Pohatu, meanwhile, assess their playing field.

When Tahu arrived at the Amaja Circle with Vakama, Takanuva, and Jaller, he was relieved to find Onua and Lewa already there - leaning against a Kini-Nui pillar. Tahu had been hoping for a quick conversation with his fellow Toa Nuva before the Turaga’s council started.

Tahu reached their position, and caught Lewa’s gaze; the Air Toa had glanced up at hearing someone step close.

“Fire-brother,” Lewa greeted. Standing fully, he uncrossed his legs and swung his arm around Tahu’s shoulders, clanking their fists with his other hand. Lewa quick-studied the red-armoured Toa. Tahu seemed recovered from the Rahkshi’s poison. Still, Lewa resolved to quick-ask later, recalling his own struggles.

Tahu leaned into Lewa and clanked fists with Onua too. “Brothers,” the Toa of Fire said. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You also,” Onua replied. “Now that you’re here -- and Gali! --”

Gali appeared in Tahu’s peripheral vision. The Toa of Fire nodded to her, and they clanked fists, he remembering again the last time they did - after he’d woken from the Rahkshi poison.

“-- we quick-start our think-talk before Turaga need us,” Lewa finished. “Pohatu and Kopaka must be near-close, and we’ll quick-tell them then.” The Toa of Air returned to leaning against the Kini-Nui pillar, and pulled Tahu along. Gali and Lewa clanked fists, and Onua swung his arm around her shoulders.

“My thoughts exactly, brothers,” the Toa of Water said. Her tone was serious, though she was joyful at the almost-full reunion of the Nuva. “It’s clear that our Turaga have something heavy on their hearts. I’m hopeful that it’s the weight of a secret about to be shared.”

“But if not,” Tahu continued, “we need to push for more information.” Tahu paused, thinking. “I’ve been asking Vakama for details about the Rahkshi - how he and Turaga Nokama instantly recognized them, even from a distance. He’s evasive, even with direct questions.”

Onua nodded. He’d experienced that same evasiveness from Whenua not too long ago - during their trip far underground for the Toa of Earth’s KauKau Nuva. He’d forgotten about that till now; Whenua had dropped many hints about the past then, and avoided elaborating them all.

With his free hand, Lewa started a miniaturized vortex. Onua watched it and the pebbles it captured up.

“Nokama as well. And there’s more,” Gali said. She’d pondered whether to discuss this on the way to the Kini-Nui, accompanying her Turaga and Hahli. _Bring up her speculations about Nokama’s past, cast doubt on this wise leader?_ But at the same time, the Toa of Water was certain this murk needed some fresh water. Gali described the underwater cavern where her Kakama Nuva was, with those six carved figures, several full red moons ago.

“Nokama called those figures ‘heroes of a long-ago age’. It _is_ true that the cavern was well-worn from water, but that “long-ago age” is surely more present than the Turaga would like us to believe,” Gali finished.

Lewa quick-looked to Gali, still pebble-levitating. No handspringing around columns for now - using his elemental powers to direct his energy instead. He was nearby to deep-listen, but also active. “True-spoken sister,” Lewa said. “Another smart-plan asks why these Toa-heroes are absent from Turaga legends.”

“I would add something, too,” Onua said. Gali had shared a similar anecdote to his own. Instead of re-digging the same tunnel, Onua continued, “Whenua emphasizes learning from the past. He knows a great deal about many things - all the Turaga do - but I wonder where this comes from. There are no great libraries here, no collections of history. The Turaga must have gained this knowledge from somewhere else first, and brought it here in their memory.”

“That city,” Gali murmured. She watched as Nuju and Matoro, several meters away, walked into the Kini-Nui. _What does even Matoro know_ , she wondered, _that we Toa do not?_

Takanuva appeared from where the Ko-Wahi residents entered the Kini-Nui. He glanced around a moment, then approached. “Toa Gali,” he said, catching her eyes.

Gali smiled. “I see your formality has grown with your stature,” she teased, to lighten the air. There was no need for Takanuva to hear their worries yet.

“If only my fighting experience had too,” he said ruefully, referencing their last practice bout earlier today. She’d pounded him into the sea and the sand.

“It will come with time,” she said. Takanuva was upbeat about his transformation, but Gali suspected there was more conflict in him than he was letting show. Gali continued, “Experiencing the world through your element creates an entirely different - and unique - fighting style. With your curiosity, I’m certain you will soon understand yourself and your powers.”

Takanuva acknowledged her advice with a nod and a smile. Then he explained the Turaga had also sent him out to gather the Toa - the meeting was about to start.

“Kopaka and Pohatu must have arrived from the other side,” Gali observed. Doing so, they wouldn’t have known to join the other Toa Nuva’s conversation.

“They aren’t with you four?” Takanuva asked, turning to glance at Gali and the other three. “I didn’t see them, but with Onewa and Nuju both here... We figured they must be too.”

Onua frowned, the ridges of his mask becoming more mountainous. Tahu answered in the negative for the four of them; their brothers of Stone and Ice hadn’t been with them.

Inside the Kini-Nui, the Turaga were all seated in the Amaja Circle. Matoro, Jaller, and Hahli were having an intense discussion to one side, increasing in volume even as the Toa approached.

“Has anyone seen Pohatu and Kopaka?” Tahu asked, demanding everyone’s attention. Gali would have scolded him, but concern affected her, too. Something was wrong. Whether Pohatu and Kopaka were simply strangely delinquent, or whether something else was happening, remained to be seen.

Matoro stepped forward, and explained he was the last to see Kopaka. After conferring with Jaller and Hahli, it was clear the Ice Toa had never reached her to deliver Kopeke’s message. The Toa of Ice was last seen skiing off Mt. Ihu, vaguely in the direction of Le-Wahi.

As for Pohatu, no one was sure where he was now; Onewa had last seen him two days ago.

“We were discussing rock formations,” Onewa recalled. “On parting, he said he was going to visit the Mahi herds. Anyway,” Onewa continued, “that was the last I saw him. He does tend to roam all over the island.”

That was _too_ true. All the Toa Nuva could think of a time Pohatu had appeared out of the air - dirt-skidding down-tree or tearing up part of a cooled lava field. Lost in Onu-Wahi side tunnels. There was even once, Gali recalled, that Pohatu raced atop the water in Naho Bay just to startle her.

Ever the voice of wisdom, Nokama said, “It’s possible they’ve both been delayed. If they found Matoran in need of help along the way here, they would both see that as their priority.”

This was also true, and comforted Gali . The other Turaga were nodding, and Vakama spoke.

“Well. We will wait until they arrive to discuss some things,” he said, holding his Fire-staff between his hands. “But there are other topics to explore. Announced in the Mangaia, it is our destiny to return to that city you saw - the great city of Metru Nui. Until Kopaka and Pohatu arrive, we might organize our travel.”

* * *

 Kopaka estimated that he and Pohatu had walked about three kio over the past five hours. In theory, they were walking downhill. Pohatu had reached into the stone and, using himself as the reference point, gauged whether the stone was at a slant. There had been no sign of any significant downhill, but Pohatu said that this wasn’t a disaster.

“We might be standing on a high-elevation mesa, or in a small valley, that’s hiding the direction of the downhill,” Pohatu explained. “What we can do is go in the opposite direction of the uphill. If we find rising elevation at the end of this flat-ish area, then we're in a basin and can go over the lip of the basin to keep going downhill.”

Except there wasn’t really an uphill, either. Pohatu made his best guess, and as he navigated, they kept discussing the shadow realm.

“The projectile acted as the trigger that sent us here,” Pohatu had said, starting with their one concrete fact. “Do you think it summoned a portal that we both fell through, or would it have only acted on me, if I hadn’t collided with you?”

“The latter,” said Kopaka. Though that was the least appealing theory -- Pohatu disappeared, with no way to contact him? “If it was a portal, it would've opened prior to you impacting me. You would have either flown into the portal as it opened or, if you were moving faster than it could open, you would have flown past it.”

“So it was a teleport, localized on point of impact, that remained active for longer than an instant. Otherwise I would have already been here, _before_ I crashed into you.”

“And it teleported us in more than one way,” Kopaka added, recalling Pohatu’s earlier comments. “We aren’t near enough to sense the ocean through the ground, so it moved us even further from the coastline, as well as into a realm of shadow.”

Kopaka paused and considered where that left them. Since it was an external force that pulled them into the shadows, was an external force required to bring them out again? It seemed likely. _Neither of us have the power to manipulate shadow or light. Unless we find and can operate a mechanism here, or find an open gate to exist through, our best chance will be Takanuva,_ Kopaka decided.

Pohatu was thinking along the same fault-line, and spoke first. “Our next step should be to get Takanuva’s attention. Or that of our siblings. I’ll raise smooth columns to mark our path. But whether that will be enough to signal our entrapment... I’m not sure.”

“Are we sure that the shadow realm has a direct correlation to the Island of Mata Nui?” Kopaka asked. For all this time spent walking, Kopaka had detected no light, on any spectrum, with his Akaku. “We weren’t able to communicate without being in contact, and we’re inside it."

“Well, there must be some correlation,” Pohatu pointed out. Swinging their joined hands. “Otherwise, how'd I perceive vibrations in the ground? And you’re still radiating cold, like always. We’re still connected to our elements, which are still grounded back on the Island.”

“Unless we’re sharing an illusion, or a hallucination.”

“I’m flattered your mind picked me to keep you company, then!"

“You’re good company.”

“You too.” Pohatu wouldn’t respond with a joke to that; sentiment for sentiment. Sediment.

 _Ah, I’m hopeless_ , thought Pohatu. He paused and raised a small stone block a half meter away.

“Let’s wait for a bit,” Poahtu suggested. He gazed around them absently, seeing no sign of light.

“Maybe we’ll know more if I sense vibrations in the stone not coming from us. Others, maybe.” Pohatu led Kopaka toward the slanted block and crouched so Kopaka could gauge the distance.

 _And on my part_ , Pohatu thought, _it’s good to feel solid stone against my back_. He leaned back against the block and stretched his legs out in front of himself. Beside him, he felt Kopaka settling, their hands still together, resting in the crevice between their legs. Neither was foot-sore, but the utter darkness weighed their minds and hearts down.

Pohatu felt especially worn. He’d been extending his elemental connection to it’s widest range, feeling for any signs of the downhill. Or for less malleable areas that might indicate the presence of water or earth. _Really, any change from the shadow would be nice_ , Pohatu thought.

* * *

Ordinarily, Onua would be very curious how the Turaga knew about building large sea-transports. Through all his time on the Island of Mata Nui, Onua had never seen signs of sea-craft the size the Turaga were planning for. However, the deepening of night with no sign, nor message, of his brother Toa was more engaging. There was no sign of movement beyond the fires inside the Kini-Nui. Onua soon realized he watched the entrance behind the Turaga, rather than the Turaga themselves.

But Lewa spoke first, cutting off Onewa’s next remark. “Good deep-talk,” he said. “No Kopaka and no Pohatu. Us Toa-heroes should quick-look for them, then come back for tale-telling.” As the Toa of Air spoke, he stood, and the other Toa Nuva followed Lewa’s lead.

Takanuva stood too, and gave a shrug to Jaller - _I’m a Toa-hero too, now. I can’t not go._

“It’s deep-night,” Matau protested.

“We have Takanuva,” Lewa said.

“We’ll be back when we find them,” Tahu said firmly. “Or we’ll see you all in our Koros, if your meetings through.” Even as he said that, Tahu felt a stab in his heart-light. If his last statement rang true, it would be _Ga-Koro_ where he’d meet Vakama. Not Ta-Koro.

Tahu sighed.

In the darkness outside the Kini-Nui, the Toa could hear the wind and crickets and, very distantly, the low thunder of the ocean in the night. Tahu paused on the steps outside and breathed deeply, regathering his thoughts.

As much as Tahu disliked prioritizing one brother over the other, they had no idea where Pohatu might be. Kopaka was last headed toward Le-Wahi; that was somewhere to start.

 _He and I may not agree on much_ , Tahu thought to himself, _but he is my brother. And if I know anything about him, it’s unlike him to be absent without very good reason_. Tahu explained his reasoning to the others. Everyone was silent at first, and Tahu was unsurprised. _There was no way this would be a popular plan_ , he thought, _not even with myself_.

“It makes sense,” Onua said finally. “I think we’re all in agreement about how uncomfortable it is to look for one ahead of the other. Yet I concur with staying as one group, at least for now. Takanuva can produce the strongest light, and if there is more to this than delays, we’re better off together.”

“If we’re lucky,” Takanuva offered, “Maybe Pohatu ran into Kopaka and that’s why they’re both missing.”

“For a definition of luck,” Gali said in response, but offered her hand to the Toa of Light. He took it, and she used her Kakama Nuva to share the power of speed with Takanuva.

They were off. She heard her brothers beside her, feet pounding into the ground at break-neck speed. In other circumstances, the run would have been exhilarating - dodging trees, and hearing the rush of foliage in their passage. Perhaps this was why Pohatu roamed around so much.

Onua, with his strong vision in low-light, led the way. Several soft orbs of light kept speed with the Toa, pulled along by Takanuva, lighting their path as they went. Within minutes, the group had descended from the Kini-Nui, traveled through the lush forest, and reached the coastline where Le-Wahi became Ko-Wahi. There, they found a long churned track in the sand extending into Le-Wahi. It begged to be followed.

Both the moons were falling into the ocean when they found a large sand dune interrupting the trail - almost as if Kopaka stopped suddenly. All the Toa were puzzled at first - there was no obvious reason why the Ice Toa would've paused.

Takanuva revised the group’s hypothesis: “Maybe _Pohatu_ is the runner, and stopped because he met Kopaka here.”

“Then Kopaka was slow-walking,” Lewa pointed out. “Not likely. Our Ice-brother tripped and quick-dived the sand.”

Gali couldn’t help snorting at that image, but it didn’t make up for the absence of their brothers. And their brief laughter did not summon Kopaka himself for icy vengeance.

Lewa was also thinking of their brothers. _What luck-laughter if Kopaka and Pohatu reach the Amaja Circle ever-quick while we fast-chase them?_

The group traveled on, following the trail as it veered into the Le-Wahi jungle. They reached Naho Bay at true-dawn, and the water in the sea was winking in the light. They found a strange little structure. Two stone chunks parallel to each other, but perpendicular to the ocean, and chunks of ice broken on the ground between them.

Tahu smiled. _Finally, a real clue!_

“They both must have been here,” the Toa of Fire said. “The ice is obvious, and only Pohatu would lift up stone through the sand.” He studied the position of the structure. “Do you think the ice arched from this side,” he pointed at the ocean, “over the stone and closed on the far side?”

“Creating a defensive bubble,” Gali said. “And look at the height and spacing of the stones - enough room for two Toa.”

While the others were examining the shoreline, Onua was looking inland. Staring at the sea or the bright sand would be little help from him. He was already squinting through the morning sun.

“But what were they defending against?” He murmured. “Something from the sea or the shore?” Onua was fairly sure that Kopaka preferred to have sight-lines on enemies. So it was logical that the enemy was in one of the directions he could’ve seen through the ice. _Though stone wouldn’t have been a problem for the Akaku Nuva, either,_ Onua thought.

“Quick-look,” called Lewa, also standing inland. Onua reached the Air Toa first, and gasped. There were huge divots in the dry sand, leading into the marshy soil and heading inland along a stream, probably a tributary off the Hura-Mafa River.

“I’ll high-fly,” Lewa offered. “See what sort of track-pattern.” With that, he jumped into the air - effortlessly commanding the Mask of Levitation and the wind to carry himself aloft.

“Is this some new threat from Makuta? With no warning?” Tahu said. He breathed out a puff of smoke in a huffy sigh. Turning to Takanuva, he asked, “Have you ever heard legends of creatures destined to appear after his defeat?”

Takanuva shook his head. “We should ask the Turaga,” he replied. “It’s from them that I learned about some legends - like your arrival, less than a year ago.”

“Yet another secret the Turaga hold,” Tahu muttered. Staring down the tracks as if the creature would materialize from the air.

Onua sent a quelling glance toward the Toa of Fire, who caught it and looked away. Onua opened his mouth, but then hesitated. The ocean waves filled his silence. What more could he say, other than agreement with Tahu? _For it’s true the Turaga hold many secrets, but that doesn’t seem wrong, as Tahu is taking it_ , Onua thought. _They’ve lived for millennia on this island -- in all that time, of course some tales or legends become buried in the past._

 _Or maybe this is more personal,_ Onua realized, recalling how Gali had described Ta-Koro sinking into its surrounding lava basin.

Meanwhile, Gali herself was thinking of the tracks. If the tracks were the feet, then where would the torso be? _It must be at least twelve feet tall,_ she speculated. _Where could something that big have come from?_

The ocean waves rushed in her audials.

 _Of course, the bay!_ She realized. _That Makuta-cursed cave_.

Lewa swooped in, landing with a woosh. “It ground-walked southward, against the stream,” he reported. “No tracks once it reaches river-stone, not even claw-scratches. Definitely insect-rahi, like Fikou, but the most huge-big ever.”

“Let’s follow it,” Takanuva said. _What kind of creature is this?_ He wondered. _Was it always on our island, newly awakened, or did it come from somewhere else?_ Takanuva hoped he’d be able to get a good view of it to relate to Hahli later for the chronicles.

“Hold a moment,” said Gali. “I have an idea to follow up on. Remember the tentacle creature in my tale? It was easily as big as this rahi, and maybe _that’s_ where this rahi came from. While we’re here, let’s check it out.”

“What tale?” asked Takanuva.

Tahu turned to Gali with a scowl. “We should follow the creature first, before we chase it’s origins,” he said. “This is the first clue we have about where our brothers are.”

Gali returned the glare. “You said yourself the Turaga are hiding secrets - well here’s the source of one of them! Perhaps there are others like this creature in the underwater tunnels. Wouldn’t it be wise to block that off before more rise to the surface to join our multi-legged friend?”

“That’s not the point,” said Tahu. “We need to find this thing before it does--”

“Cease the loud-talk,” interrupted Lewa, forcing himself between the two posturing Toa. “More slowplanning lets it flee ever-faster. What has it quick-done to our Toa-brothers? We can quick-dive the cave after rahi-chasing what we know. Not the dream-thought ones first.”

“ _What_ tale? What cave?”

Onua stepped forward and put his hand on Takanuva’s shoulder. “Sister. Brothers,” the Toa of Earth said. “We speak of secrets, and yet here is one Toa who knows nothing of our words. Are we like our Turaga, trapped in history, from whom we wish to seek answers?”

Gali and Tahu were watching him now, not glaring into each other. A slight improvement. Lewa put his arms over their shoulders and pulled them close.

“And unity is teamwork, yes? Unity is also sharing knowledge,” Onua continued, “and so sharing the burden of regrets, and of old fears, and of unknown depths.” As he spoke, Onua glanced at Tahu, Lewa, and Gali in turn.

“We should still chase the creature first,” Tahu pointed out, a little surly.

“And as we go, why don’t you explain to Takanuva why it’s so crucial we do this first? Gali, you might tell of your Kakama Nuva - explain why this is relevant to the creature and the turaga’s secrets.”

Even as Onua spoke, Tahu was stepping out of Lewa’s embrace. “Come on,” he said to Takanuva. “We’ll take point.” And they started along the tracks in the sand.

As she stepped past him, Gali said, “Why you could be a Turaga yourself, brother, for all your wisdom.”

Onua sighed, but made no reply. What more could he say? What use was it? He would try to resolve with Gali later, when she was less hostile. As the Toa of Earth walked after her, Lewa fell into step beside him.

“True-spoken,” the green-armoured Toa said, “though they did not care to stop-listen.” Lewa paused, and then bumped into Onua’s shoulder, both comforting, and seeking it. “I am worried something terrible-bad has happened to Kopaka and Pohatu,” he said. Then, softer, “maybe like Bohrok-swarms.”

“I’m worried about that, too,” said Onua. He shook his head and swung his right arm over Lewa’s shoulders. “This is too similar to how you went missing. And then. Well.”

“Yeah.”

They walked on. With every step, Onua’s feet sunk slightly into the damp soil. He felt the crumbling, the texture of decay and growth in the ground. The blue shadows under the trees, the still-damp air. The sense of so much below, beyond himself, was comforting.

And Lewa also drew strength from his element. He tasted the wind quick-curling over his mask, through the armour-edges, among the trees around them both. He pulled it towards himself a little more. And if Onua noticed the air-friend brushing against them, even into the tree-line, he was thoughtful enough not to mention it.

* * *

 “How’s the ice moss?” Pohatu asked. His shoulder was comfortable against Kopaka’s. Neither Toa felt like stumbling through the shadow again, and had run out of ideas to mark their location. Pohatu had raised several stone columns around them, in addition to the trail they’d left during their walk. Meanwhile, Kopaka had created a coating of thick ice around where they sat.

Hopefully, someone would be able to interact with the columns and ice, and connect them to the two Toa. Kopaka wasn’t sure what he and Pohatu could do if their was no overlap at all between the shadow realm and the Island of Mata Nui.

“No change. Kantai - the Ko-Matoran who lives in Tikko Canyon - believes the fields will fully recover over the next hundred years. After about twenty, the new growth will become visibly observable.”

* * *

Pohatu since dosed off against Kopaka’s shoulder. Kopaka felt the weight against his arm, and the steady huff of breath on his neck. Kopaka focused on that sensation, breathed with Pohatu, and avoided thinking about the utter nothingness around them. It was oppressive.

It was nothing like the crisp expanse of Mt. Ihu. It was nothing like the scuttle of wind across his armour, across the rocky crags. Kopaka missed the subtle sounds of the mountain.

* * *

 "You're turn!" said Pohatu.

“Though often inert, I also roll, but not from avalanche or rockslide or earthquake. I love to be the center of conflict. What am I?”

“Kohlii ball! Want to compete again when we get out of here?”

“Yes. In Po-Wahi, even.”

“I want somewhere sunny, too.” A pause. “Sometimes I float, sometimes I fall, sometimes I hide the sun, and sometimes I’m not anywhere at all. What am I?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'heroes of a long-ago age' is quoted from Farshtey's _Tales of the Masks_ , pg 400, right at the end of Nokama's chapter.
> 
>  _tikko_ \- “icy wind” - is from _A Matoran Dictionary, 2nd Ed, 2013_ , created by [@outofgloom](http://outofgloom.tumblr.com/matoran-language). The dictionary is super amazing - definitely check it out! And check out the other Matoran Language resources there too!


End file.
